I Who Have Nothing
by ChasedByTheShadows
Summary: Maya was just a poor girl from America, trying to escape her past and start a new life in Japan. Kyoya was in desperate need of a new maid. When they are brought together, a whirlwind of aristocratic scandal, dark secrets, and passionate, dangerous love threatens to consume the both of them. Perhaps, if they are lucky, they will make it out with their hearts intact. Kyoya/OC
1. Chapter 1

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 1

"**Set fire to the broken pieces; start anew."  
-Lauren DeStefano**

Maya and Aria had made a pact long ago, and they had sworn never to break it as long as they both lived. Maya certainly wasn't going to back out of that promise now, not for anything. Aria was her best friend, and that was all that mattered. The pact stated that wherever one went, the other went as well. They had each other through thick and thin, even when no one else cared whether they lived or died. So now, if Aria wanted to move to Japan to try and start a new life, Maya would go with her.

It's not like she was leaving much behind, anyway. No parents, no living relatives to speak of, a job that barely paid the rent—she was a typical high school dropout in every sense of the word. All she had to her name was some clothes, her guitar, and the locket around her neck that was apparently left by her mother when she was abandoned. She shared a tiny apartment with Aria, waited tables at the same restaurant, and they tried to scrape by as best they could. It was on a whim that Aria came up with the brilliant idea of leaving the States and starting anew.

If it got Aria out of her current situation, then Maya was all for it. She had no idea what they would do when they arrived in Japan, but it was the way they were. Things happened quickly, sometimes faster than she could blink, but they always managed to survive somehow.

She was counting on that now.

...

Kyoya was certainly not happy. After one of the longest school days of his life, he had come home to find out that one of their best maids had just quit and left without a trace, and was the maid that was charged with the duties of tending to Kyoya's needs. Without her, his meals and other requirements would suffer.

No, Kyoya was certainly not happy at all.

He hoped with all his might that a replacement would be found, and soon. He didn't care what sort of lowly commoner was hired, as long as they were competent and didn't bother him when he didn't want to be bothered. Of course, he knew that he wouldn't be particularly fond of this person. Indeed, he would most likely go out of his way to make them feel inferior, as aristocracy so often did with those they employed. In his current state of mind, however, he would hire a raving lunatic so long as they could make him some eggs.

Anyone would do, really.


	2. Chapter 2

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 2

"**In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine."**

**-Maya Angelou**

They arrived in Japan (on what had to be the cheapest airplane ever, Maya thought) on a rainy Tuesday, with a half-formed plan ready to go. Aria had an apartment lined up for them, and they had been saving their tips since they had made the decision to move so that they could cover the first month's rent. They had some left over in savings to pay for food and such. The month would be spent looking for any jobs they could find.

Unpacking didn't take very long. The little apartment had come with an old, fraying couch and the basic utilities, and all they really had left to do was put their own measly belongings in each of their bedrooms. What would have taken most people days took them just a few hours. That was usually how things worked with Maya and Aria.

"I can't believe we actually did it," said Aria in a far-off voice as they sat on the couch together, staring into the cold, empty fireplace. "I'm finally away from...well, you know."

Maya gave her best friend a small smile. "Yeah, I know."

Aria was a very pretty girl. She had wavy golden hair that fell just past her shoulders, a pair of the brightest blue eyes Maya had ever seen, and her body was all soft lines and curves. Before they had dropped out of high school, the boys were falling all over her.

Maya herself wasn't too horrible to look at, she supposed, but she certainly wasn't anything extraordinary by anyone's standards. She was rather bony and skinny, and a good few inches taller than Aria. Her hair was a wild mess of dark curls that almost reached her elbows. She kept it in a long braid down her back most of the time, or else it annoyed her to no end. Her eyes were the color of caramel, but she thought them rather dull compared to Aria's. All in all, Maya was the worse-looking of the two best friends.

She had learned to deal with it long ago, though. Aria would probably end up with some ridiculously rich husband, and at that point, Maya would force her to break the pact. She didn't want to hold her best friend back if she was ever that fortunate.

...

The Ootori family was expecting visitors. Only Kyoya and his father would be there to receive them since the two eldest sons were away on business, but only the youngest brother's presence was absolutely necessary.

He was meeting his betrothed.

She was a young woman from France, about two years older than him, and she had just finished her schooling. Her father, Monsieur DeClaire, owned a great monopoly of hospitals. Mademoiselle DeClaire and her recently married sister were coming to stay with the Ootori family for six months, and she and Kyoya would be wed when he graduated from Ouran Academy. He knew that the marriage was nothing more than a thin veil for the merger that his father and Monsieur DeClaire desired, but he also knew that, privileged as he was, it was an inevitable part of his life.

He gazed calmly at the door as it was opened, the glare on his glasses hiding whatever look was in his eyes. Two young women entered the foyer, their steps as dainty as he had expected and their dresses even daintier. At first, when Kyoya looked at their faces, it was difficult to tell that the two were sisters. The one on the left looked fairly serene, her green eyes only slightly nervous, while the one on the right had an expression that was almost...severe. Both sisters were equally stunning, but the sister with the dark expression possessed a kind of sinister beauty and disposition that made even the usually stoic Kyoya uncomfortable.

"Presenting Mademoiselle Annabel DeClaire and Madame Sophie Bonnay." The doorman's voice was stiff and proper, but Kyoya could still sense the boredom there. Each of the women curtsied at the mention of their names and Kyoya was relieved that the calmer-looking one was his betrothed, Annabel.

"A pleasure to meet you ladies," he said with a bow and a soft kiss on each of their hands. "I am Ootori Kyoya. Allow me to introduce my father."

Kyoya schooled his features as he turned and led Annabel and Sophie to his father and prepared himself for a night full of formalities and forced pleasant conversation.

It was the way of his life, and he had no choice but to deal with it.

….

Maya found a job less than a week later. It certainly wasn't one that she would have chosen, and to tell the truth, she was rather dreading it, but she didn't really have a choice in the matter. When you were desperate for money and would do anything to survive, even an unpleasant, demeaning job was a welcome relief.

She hadn't even meant to come across the opportunity. She had been turning in an application at a posh hotel in the city, but they took one look at her and told her that "they'd call if any positions became available." Yeah, right. She could spot that bullshit from a mile away.

It was then that a handsome young man had pulled her aside. He looked to be around his mid-to-late twenties. She could tell that he was filthy rich just by one glance. His suit looked custom-made and probably would have cost her a whole year's pay at the old diner. His leather briefcase had gold handles and clasps, and there wasn't a hair out of place on his oh-so-good-looking head.

"Excuse my forwardness, but I couldn't help overhearing. You're in need of work?"

Maya narrowed her eyes slightly, confused and a bit suspicious that this seemingly very wealthy man would be satisfied to offer a job to some raggedy girl he happened to meet at a hotel. "Yes, I am," she said finally, unwilling to give up any offer, even if it did make her somewhat uncomfortable.

"Ah, excellent. My name is Ootori Yuuichi. One of our housemaids quit recently and my father is far too busy to be scrambling for a replacement. When I heard that you were turning in an application, I thought it would only be fitting to ask you."

"Why?" asked Maya boldly. She had never been particularly shy or reserved. "You don't even know me, and you saw the way the hotel manager looked at me. I'm not exactly anyone's first choice for an employee."

Yuuichi smiled. "I admired your directness with the manager. Besides," he added as an afterthought, "we're very desperate." He pulled a card from the inside of his jacket and handed it to Maya. It was exactly how she thought it would look—fancy script bearing the name "Ootori Yoshio" over an address and phone number.

"What's this?"

"My father's business card. The address is that of his main office. I'll set up an appointment for you on Friday at four o'clock. If you're interested, please come in for an interview."

Maya gazed up at the handsome man again. He seemed sincere, but she still wasn't sure that he wasn't pulling one over on her. She had a hard time trusting _anyone_ (besides Aria, of course), let alone some stuck-up aristocrat that was apparently taking pity on her—or was just desperate enough to hire a little orphan Annie that he picked up on the streets.

"I'll consider it."

"Very good," said Yuuichi with another charming grin. "Oh! Forgive my lapse of manners, but I don't believe I caught your name."

"Maya Vester."

He bowed to her, keeping that—fake—smile on his face, and she bowed reluctantly in return. When he turned to go, she watched him with a stony expression. She didn't particularly like this man, but she supposed beggars couldn't be choosers.

Yuuichi looked over his shoulder. "Four o'clock on Friday, Maya Vester."

…

"Mademoiselle DeClaire, would you care for a cup of tea?"

"Of course, thank you. And please, call me Annabel. If we are going to be married, there's no need for such formalities."

Kyoya smiled effortlessly. Doing exactly what people wanted was second nature to him. It had been ingrained into him from the day of his birth. "Of course, Annabel. If that is what you desire. Would you like sugar in your tea?"

The would-be couple had been left in one of the grand parlours in the Ootori manor to begin getting to know one another. Kyoya had found that Annabel was not only beautiful, but also kind and gentle. Her voice was soft, never demanding, and he could tell that she listened with utmost sincerity when he spoke to her. She was the perfect bride-to-be, but there was one problem.

She wasn't even remotely interesting.

Not that this surprised him. She was a wealthy young woman, graced with beauty, and had been raised in much the same environment that Kyoya had. There was nothing about her that was a mystery to him, or even intrigued him. All of this, however, did not change the fact that he would marry her. It was his duty to his family and besides, he had been expecting her to be exceptionally boring. He was glad simply that she was attractive and not mean-spirited.

At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Seconds later, it swung open noiselessly and Sophie Bonnay swept inside, her expression just as severe as it had been when the sisters had been received in the entrance hall.

She had changed her dress from the looser travelling gown to a tight-fitting gray dress that flared out at the bottom. Her hair was pinned up elegantly in preparation for the spectacular welcoming dinner they would be presented with that evening.

"Anna, dear," she said lightly, placing a long-fingered hand on her sister's shoulder, "I've been asked to inform you that you are wanted in your quarters to prepare for supper. A housemaid is waiting there for you to help you dress."

"Thank you, Sophie," Annabel replied softly, taking Kyoya's hand and allowing him to help her to her feet. She curtsied politely to him before turning to exit the parlour. "If you will excuse me."

There was a moment of silence between Kyoya and Sophie when Annabel was gone. Truth be told, it made him slightly uncomfortable to be left alone with this sister, but he soon remembered his manners. It wouldn't do for him to be rude. "May I offer you some tea, Madame?"

"Oh, no thank you. I wouldn't want to spoil my meal."

"Ah, yes, of course."

Sophie turned to go, but stopped and gave Kyoya a small smile just before she reached the door. He knew that she meant it to be charming, but the only word that it brought to his mind was _menacing_. "I look forward to your marriage to my sister, Ootori-san. You'll be a wonderful addition to the family."

….

When Friday finally came, Maya was prepared for anything. Worst case scenario, this was all Yuuichi's idea of some sort of joke. It wouldn't surprise her. If it wasn't, however, she and Aria were that much closer to making it.

She took a train to the address on the business card, and it was one of the most uncomfortable things she had ever endured. The rumors about Japanese trains being ten times more crowded than American trains was apparently true, and Maya had never felt so much body heat all in one place. It would have disgusted someone with a weaker stomach than she.

An hour later, she stood in front of the office and fought to keep her jaw from falling to her feet. It was a huge, elegant, glass monstrosity of a building. Just looking at it reminded her how tiny and insignificant she really was. With a deep breath, she walked up to the door, keeping her face blank. Once she was inside, all was quiet. A few men in fine suits milled about drinking coffee, but Maya supposed all of the real business happened on the upper floors.

In the center of the grand foyer was a desk with a frazzled-looking secretary seated behind it. She didn't look to be much more than a few years older than Maya. Five, perhaps. That would make her only twenty-two.

When Maya stopped in front of the desk, the secretary asked for her name without even looking up from her stacks upon stacks of paperwork. There were at least three of the five phones ringing, and the little red light on the secretary's headset was blinking like it was about to explode.

"Maya…uh, Vester."

This made the woman look up, her brown eyes calculating. She looked Maya up and down, one eyebrow cocking slightly. "So you're the one he's been expecting? Very well, then. Top floor, last door on the right. Keep it short, girl. Ootori-sama is very busy."

Shaking off the secretary's comment, Maya proceeded to the elevator just behind the desk. The top floor was number twelve, and she rose higher and higher, her stomach twisted itself into more and more knots. Maya had no clue why she was so nervous. It was usually quite a feat to make her anxious, but she had the strangest feeling that something big was going to happen.

Whether it would be good or horrible, she couldn't say.

….

Sophie was happy for her sister.

Any time Annabel was pleased, Sophie was pleased as well. Almost so much so that it was unusual…unsettling. Sophie would do anything for Annabel to have all she wanted. The blood on her hands be damned, Annabel was more important.

She would die for her.

She would kill for her.

Nothing and no one was going to ruin this marriage. She would rip out the heart of anyone who tried to get in the way of Annabel's union to Ootori Kyoya, and she would rip it out with her bare hands.

It was for Annabel.

….

"My son did say that your appearance was not something I would take a liking to," Ootori Yoshio said immediately when Maya entered the room. "He was right." He stared directly into her eyes, trying to intimidate her. Testing her. She wouldn't be scared off so easily.

"My appearance has no reflection on my work ethic, or the quality of said work," she replied stonily, staring right back at him.

Yoshio was quiet for a very long moment. "You are not afraid of me." It wasn't a question.

"No."

He stood up swiftly, but Maya held her ground. He wouldn't get the satisfaction of a single flicker of fear in her eyes. Instead of coming towards her though, he picked up a small slip of paper and held it out to her. Maya took it without hesitation.

"That is my home address. You begin work Monday at eight A.M. Do not be late."

"What will I be doing?"

He glanced at her, and she couldn't quite read the look in his eyes. "Your job will be to look after all the needs of my youngest son."

**A/N: So that's it! The second chapter, done! It's pretty long, too. To be honest, I probably could have split this up into two chapters, but I just started writing and I couldn't stop. You know what I mean? Regardless, I've been up since 4 A.M. (still a little jet-lagged from my trip to Italy), and I've been working on this for a while. I've got big plans for this story, so just you wait. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and shoot me a review!**

**Loves,**

**ChasedByTheShadows **


	3. Chapter 3

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 3

"**For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul."**

**-Judy Garland**

"So…what exactly is this job again?" asked Aria, lounging on Maya's bed (which was really just two mattresses stacked on top of each other and an array of mismatched quilts) as the latter hurried around trying to get ready for her first day. Mr. Ootori had said she would not be required to wear a uniform, but that she should come dressed prepared to do housework. She supposed a pair of jeans and a thermal would have to do.

"I've told you three times already, Aria," Maya replied with a sigh. She ran a hand through her hair, which had yet to be braided, and Aria almost laughed at the frazzled look on her face. "The job is to look after some old rich guy's youngest son and take care of his every need."

Aria flipped over so she was lying on her stomach, propped up on her elbows with her feet near Maya's pillow. "I'm sorry, let me rephrase. My question is: why did you _take _the job? I mean, looking after a rich little spoiled brat? That's exactly the kind of thing you would hate."

Maya couldn't agree more. She hoped the kid was young enough to be satisfied with bright colors and shiny things (so, an infant), but she doubted she'd be that fortunate. With her luck, he'd be some haughty little monster who thought he was the prince of the world. Yes, she was dreading the job, but Ootori was offering her a very generous salary. She'd explained this to Aria three times before, but even now it seemed to baffle her.

"I understand that it's good money, but we can still get by if you come work at that new restaurant with me! We've always worked together, Maya."

Maya grinned, plopping down on the bed next to her best friend. "I know. But this job could give us enough money to be able to find a better place to live in six months or so. If I save up what we don't need for bills and necessities, it could take us a long way."

"Oh, all right," said Aria, pushing Maya's shoulder playfully. "Just don't go and start talking like a rich person."

Maya laughed. "Trust me, I wouldn't dream of it."

…...

"Good morning, Annabel." Kyoya leaned down to kiss her hand. The tiny woman blushed. "I trust your first weekend here with us was comfortable and relaxing?"

"Oh, yes," Annabel replied in her soft, tinkling voice. "It's been lovely."

"The staff assigned to you has been to your liking?"

"Yes. But of course the Ootori family only hires the best servants." Kyoya smiled. He'd never referred to their staff as _servants_, but he supposed the title was fitting, in a literal sense. Annabel continued to speak, bringing his attention back to her. "Sophie is waiting for me in the car outside. We're spending the day in town, getting accustomed to our new surroundings. Of course we would be honored if you joined us."

"Ah, I regret to say that I must stay here and oversee the first day of our newest staff member. My apologies, Annabel."

She gave him a soft, bashful half-smile. "I understand. I'll see you at supper." After Annabel departed, Kyoya retreated to his bedroom. There was no need to receive the new maid in the foyer. She was a staff member after all, not a guest. A butler would bring her to him.

Just as he expected, there was a knock on the door moments later. He called for them to enter, his tone bored, and remained lying on his bed, flat on his back with his hands behind his head. He glanced over at the door as it opened and his eyebrows furrowed as the two people stepped inside.

He vaguely registered the butler's voice introducing the maid as Maya Vester, but he wasn't focused on him.

He was focused on her.

She was certainly not what he expected. All of their maids had been more elderly women (or at least over the age of thirty-five), but this one looked to be around his age. Her frizzy dark hair was pulled into a long braid down her back, and her eyes were the light, smooth color of caramel. They looked deep, capable of holding a great deal of feeling all at once. They were striking to him, a man who always fought so hard to hide the look in his eyes.

….

He was certainly not what she expected. When Ootori had mentioned his "youngest son," she had imagined a toddler or preteen child. This young man appeared to be somewhere in the range of sixteen to eighteen.

That wasn't what caught her attention though. No, what held Maya's gaze was how unusually good-looking he was. With his dark hair and tall, long form, he was easily one of the most handsome boys she had ever seen. Even the glasses worked well for him. Could it be that this job was the best thing that could have possibly happened?

"This can't be her," he said suddenly, sitting up. "It's got to be some sort of mistake."

Oh. Right, of course. He was an ass.

She should've seen that one coming.

"No, sir," answered the butler who had led her to his young master's room. "I was provided with her description by your father himself. If she is unsatisfactory I can call your father—" Maya crossed her arms, trying to keep a scowl off of her face. She didn't like that they were talking about her like some piece of furniture. At all.

"It's fine," the boy replied. "I just didn't realize she'd be so young, that's all. You are dismissed."

The butler bowed and excused himself. "Thank you, sir."

The boy rose swiftly to his feet after the door closed behind the butler, startling Maya so much that she abruptly uncrossed her arms. "My name is Ootori Kyoya," he said in a cool, clipped voice. She got the impression this was how he was with all his employees. "You may call me Kyoya-san. What do you wish to be addressed as?"

"Uh, I'm not really sure how all those honorific things work, so just Maya is fine."

"Very well, Maya. Are you aware of your responsibilities while employed in my family's house?"

Maya tried not to sound annoyed as she answered him. She didn't particularly like this kid, but she didn't want to piss him off on her first day, either. "As far as I'm aware, I have to tend to your every need. Be at your beck and call. Pretty straightforward."

Kyoya considered her for a moment. "Yes, that's about right. Luckily for you, your tasks won't be overly strenuous. You'll be required to cook three meals a day for me. How do you fare in a kitchen?"

"I'm decent."

"Very well. In addition, you'll need to tidy my room while I'm at school. As I'm a very cleanly person naturally, it shouldn't be too difficult. You'll also occasionally be called upon to assist me with duties for a club I run at my school. Is all of this clear?"

Maya gazed at Kyoya. She didn't know what to make of him. He was exactly how she'd thought he would be. Filthy rich, demanding, entitled…but there was something there, something she couldn't quite discern. Something she was fairly sure she disliked. Maybe it was just her natural predisposition towards wealthy people, but she couldn't help feel an immediate aversion to Kyoya.

He was probably going to piss her off to no end.

"Yes, it's perfectly clear," she replied.

….

"Since it is your first day, I'll simply show you the rest of the house, but then I'll need you to stay for supper and serve food to us and our two guests. This won't be a daily duty, but since they are in their first week with us, we are still hosting formal dinners."

As Kyoya led Maya through the house, he tried to make sense of his thoughts about her. She was the perfect picture of an incredibly lowly commoner—plain clothes, raggedy hair, almost surly disposition, and yet an obedient attitude and carefully hidden fear of him. All of that was exactly as he expected.

He hadn't expected to find her pretty.

It was her eyes, mostly, that drew him in. They were large and round, growing even larger as they walked through the rooms and corridors of the Ootori manor. She was highly overwhelmed by the grandeur of the place, he could tell. It was almost bothersome, really, how in awe she was. Her wonder seemed…unnerving.

Yes, she was pretty, but she irked him. There was no doubt about that.

Once they had returned to Kyoya's room and Maya was laying out his clothes for dinner as he had instructed her, he gazed unashamedly at her again. Her eyes always had a hesitance in them, but nothing else about her was hesitant. She moved confidently, assuredly, and held herself firmly upright. It almost seemed as though she was constantly trying to prove something.

"Maya, may I ask you a question?" Kyoya said, his voice still short and seemingly disinterested.

She glanced at him suspiciously, but quickly covered it up. "I guess so."

"How old are you, exactly?"

"I'm seventeen."

Kyoya felt no surprise at her answer, though he should have. "Seventeen? Then why are you working here instead of going to school?"

It took Maya a moment to respond this time. She bit her lip, and he assumed she was considering refusing to answer him. He certainly wasn't going to force her if she didn't want to, but a moment later she spoke again, her voice strong. "I dropped out last year when I lived in the States. So did my best friend. We worked and lived together and then we moved here together. We support each other."

"And, your parents—"

"I think that's enough get-to-know-you chit chat, don't you?" Maya interrupted. "You've got to get dressed if you want to get downstairs on time." She held out the first article of clothing to Kyoya, her face blank. He accepted it silently, keeping his expression unreadable as well.

To tell the truth, he wasn't even sure why he had been so interested in the first place.

….

"Oh, Kyoya dear, who is this young maid? I don't believe I've seen her before. Is she the new staff member you mentioned this morning?" Annabel spoke of Maya as though she was some sort of potted plant, or wasn't there at all. In reality, she was standing no more than two feet away from the young French woman.

"Yes," Kyoya responded. "Her name is Maya Vester. An American."

"You know," said Sophie, leaning forward in her seat and not bothering to lower her voice, "I honestly can't see why your father hired her. She's a raggedly, sickly-looking little thing. Doesn't look like she'd be worth a lick when it comes to housework."

Maya was positively trembling with rage. She really despised rich people.

_They think they're so damn entitled that they can just talk about me like I'm not standing two fucking feet away from them! God, if only I could just jump on that sour-faced bitch and punch her in her pretty little nose. _When Maya was angry, her thoughts tended to get carried away…and to curse a lot.

"Yes, it does appear that way," Kyoya said, bringing her attention back to the conversation at the table, "but her duties are to cook my meals and keep my quarters tidy. Nothing too difficult to handle. At any rate, we were so desperate after the last housemaid quit that we would have hired just about anyone."

Kyoya glanced at Maya, and she could tell he was trying to gauge whether she was angry or not. Well, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how easy it was to piss her off. She'd remain blank-faced and keep up the fake politeness if it killed her.

By the time the end of the meal rolled around and the inhabitants of the grand dining table were sipping coffee, Maya felt like she was about to explode. She had no idea just how infuriating the wealthy could be. The angry-looking one of the French sisters annoyed her the most out of all of them. Sophie, her name was. She had no qualms about bashing Maya's appearance and commenting about how they had used "physical means" to ensure obedience from their servants back home. Kyoya had just grinned at Sophie and examined Maya for any sign of anger once more.

She had learned, through the course of the dinner, that the quieter sister, Annabel, was Kyoya's wife-to-be. They would be married when he graduated high school. She supposed it was some sort of business venture that his father and Annabel's had concocted, and she almost felt sorry for Kyoya because of it. Being forced to marry a stranger that you didn't love, just because your family told you to…she'd never be able to do that.

She didn't feel _that_ sorry for Kyoya, though. He was just as much a stereotypical aristocrat as his French guests. The only difference was that Maya had to deal with _him_ every single day.

It was nearly nine o'clock before she grabbed her coat and headed to the door. Just as she was about to touch the handle, the feeling of someone watching her made her turn around. It was Sophie, the vicious, sinisterly beautiful woman from dinner. She was watching Maya with an amused, condescending expression.

"Can I help you?" asked Maya, not being as polite as she probably should have. She couldn't exactly help it, though. She was exhausted.

"Actually, yes," Sophie answered, taking a step towards Maya until she was uncomfortably close. "You see, as I was walking to my room, I thought of something. I'm sure you heard my opinion of your appearance at dinner." She didn't even give Maya time to roll her eyes and give a sarcastic reply before continuing. "You're raggedy and common and just unexceptional in every way. You don't even _look _like you'd make a good worker. And yet, Mr. Ootori, a man who holds himself to the highest of standards, hired you. It makes me wonder what you did for him to get the job."

Maya's hands fisted, her nails digging so far into the flesh they almost drew blood. Though she didn't need to, she asked. "What exactly are you implying, _Madame_?" She spat the title like a curse word.

"Oh, I think you know. I also find it curious that you've been assigned to look after Kyoya, easily the most handsome of the three Ootori boys."

"Now, you listen here—"

Sophie interrupted her with a dainty, mocking laugh. It sounded like out-of-tune bells. "Oh please, don't speak to me as though you _actually_ possess some sort of power. I know your type. You're just a poor little common slut, trying to get close to the rich boy." She stepped even closer to Maya, their foreheads almost touching, and lowered her voice to a dangerous whisper. "Let me warn you now. Kyoya will marry my sister and make her the happiest woman on the planet. I won't let some dirty street whore get in the way of that. If you try _anything_, even the slightest little misstep, I will personally end your miserable life."

"You don't scare me."

Even her smile, beautiful and alluring as it was, was sinister and terrifying. "Yes. I do. Stay away from my sister's future husband."

"You're in luck, bitch," Maya snarled, "because I don't _want_ him. Your sister can fucking _have_ him, because I would never want to be with that spoiled little rich boy."

"Good. We have an understanding then. But know that I'll be watching you. I know your type, little girl."

"You don't know shit about me, princess." Maya whirled around and wrenched the door open, but looked over her shoulder and Sophie before stepping over the threshold. "I still stand by what I said, too. I may not want to have anything to do with Kyoya, but I am _not _afraid of you." The door shut with a definitive _click_ behind her.

Sophie's smile widened. "How naïve of you."

….

As Kyoya lay down in his bed, he thought about dinner. Maya had been bursting with rage, he knew, but she had done an excellent job of hiding it. Even those eyes of hers hadn't betrayed her. Thinking back to the conversation that had occurred just before dinner, he was slightly annoyed with himself. There was nothing about that commoner's life that should have interested him, but he just kept asking questions.

It was intriguing to be sure.

The girl was certainly going to be difficult to have around, what with the way some things about her irritated him without even trying, but she seemed to be able to handle her job well enough. Honestly, he'd rather have a maid that annoyed him a bit than no maid at all. Maybe he'd grow used to her after a while.

He didn't expect or want to see her in his dreams. If he were aware, he'd have been beyond glad that he forgot them entirely the next morning.

**(A/N: Well, there's chapter three! I wrote this in about two hours, so I'm not sure how good it is, but you tell me! I hope you enjoyed and please review!)**

**Loves,**

**ChasedByTheShadow**


	4. Chapter 4

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 4

"**You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly."**

**-Sam Keen**

Annabel had never liked gazing into mirrors, as women of her social standing so often did. In fact, she avoided the mirror in her quarters at Ootori manor at all costs. When she and Sophie were small, they would spend hours together, making the handmaids do them up in all sorts of fancy gowns and makeup, and then gazing at themselves in the glass. Sophie had always been the more beautiful one. Her features were more distinct, more prominent, and more memorable than Annabel's.

She supposed that she had grown into her soft, fragile body, making the curves appear almost graceful, but she still felt inferior to Sophie. Despite her severe expression, the older sister was still one of the most stunning women in France. Many a man had complimented Annabel, telling her that she took well after her sister.

Her husband-to-be was one of the most handsome men Annabel had ever laid eyes on. She was pleased to see that they fit well together, and that Kyoya would most certainly clash with Sophie, both in appearance and personality. He was the first man ever to have achieved this trait that Annabel valued above all else. From the moment she became interested in boys, she had vowed to herself that she would one day marry a man who in no way could ever hold a relationship with her sister.

Sophie's husband was much different than Kyoya. Annabel knew that her sister was incredibly proud of her marriage, powerful and well-fitting as it was. Monsieur Bonnay was the heir to three different companies and, upon the death of his father, was to become the second-most-powerful man in France, after a businessman called Monsieur Tonnere.

Despite his wondrous fortune and luck, however, Monsieur Bonnay was perpetually discontent. At formal dinners, celebratory gatherings, and even in his and Sophie's wedding pictures, he was never seen with a smile. It was as though a scowl was permanently etched into his face.

Annabel couldn't be happier that Kyoya wasn't like that. True, he often had a serious expression covered by a fake smile, but she could see the kindness in his eyes. It was there even when he was speaking to servants in that brusque tone of his. Kyoya Ootori was a kind man, but he'd had to reign in that part of him, solely because of family obligations.

He'd be a good husband, she just knew it. For once, Annabel had been luckier than Sophie.

No one would ever take Kyoya away from her.

….

"Good morning, Maya," Kyoya said shortly as the girl entered his room, carrying a breakfast tray. He was already up and ready, an hour before he'd have to leave for school, as he had been every day that week. Maya had not yet been unfortunate enough to have to rouse him from sleep. All the other staff members felt sorry that the day she would need to would inevitably come. They had all done it at one time or another, and it had never been a pleasant experience.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Maya had found that fake politeness was the best way to make it through a conversation with Kyoya without making things terribly awkward. He wasn't particularly verbose, so she managed to get through the days without too much hassle. She was finding that her new job was actually rather enjoyable, so long as she completed her duties and didn't piss off the youngest Ootori. The rest of the staff provided good company, as they were funny (and many of them came from similar backgrounds), and her work was relatively easy.

"Very well, thank you. I have some different instructions for you today."

Maya furrowed her eyebrows a bit while she poured Kyoya's coffee. "All right."

"You will spend the day making sure my quarters are tidy, as usual, but at two o'clock there will be a car out front to take you to my school. I'll need your assistance with my club today."

"Okay," Maya replied. She'd never asked Kyoya what kind of club it was that he ran, but she didn't see why she would need to bother. It was probably just some kind of chess league or business club or something of the like. Something that intelligent rich kids would enjoy.

They were silent as Kyoya ate his breakfast. Maya would have left the room, but she had to wait for him to be finished with his tray so she could return it to the kitchen maids. After that first day, when Kyoya had asked one too many personal questions, he had refrained from speaking to her much at all besides the necessary polite small talk. Maya preferred it that way.

She watched him as he ate, standing by the door with her hands folded behind her. He typed on his laptop the entire time, his expression unwaveringly serious and his posture rigid. She tried to imagine him slouching and found the mental picture so comical that she had to bite down on her lip to keep from laughing. A little noise came out, but she was able to cover it up as a cough.

"Are you ill?" asked Kyoya, never looking up from the computer screen.

"What? Oh. No, I'm fine. I just swallowed wrong." A few moments of silence later, Kyoya shut the laptop with a _click_ and stowed it in his bag. Donning his jacket, he headed for the door.

"I'm done with the tray now, thank you. I'll see you around half past two."

She watched him leave. "Yeah, see you then."

As Maya cleaned up Kyoya's tray and prepared to take it downstairs, she thought about his eyes. It irked her that she was thinking about him at all, but they made her insatiably curious. They were almost always hidden by a glare on those glasses of his. Sometimes she just wanted to reach up and take the stupid things off of his face so she could see what he was feeling…

_Yeah, right_, she thought, holding back a snort. _Like you'd ever get away unscathed if you tried to pull that._

When she reached the kitchens, Maya was so preoccupied with balancing the tray that she didn't see the little puddle of water on the floor. She stepped in it, her foot sliding. Maya was able to regain her balance at the last second, but the tray flew forward and crashed to the floor, clattering loudly and sending half-eaten food flying everywhere.

Luckily, no one was close enough to get hit by any of it, but Maya's cheeks darkened in embarrassment. She dropped to her knees and began to pick everything up, trying to ignore the snickers of some of the cooks and maids. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw another small hand picking up the scattered debris. Looking up, she saw a young maid who was perhaps nineteen or twenty.

She had light brown hair in two braids, and she couldn't have been more than five feet tall. Maya had never seen her before, and she was curious because she had thought she'd met every staff member in the manor.

"Uh, thanks," she said to the girl when the last piece of food was back on the tray. Both girls rose to their feet. "I'm Maya. I don't think we've ever met before."

"Yeah," said the girl, smiling and shaking Maya's hand. Now that she was looking at her, Maya could see that the maid had blue eyes. They were darker than Aria's, but still blue. "I've been away for a week taking care of my grandmother. I'm Leda."

Leda was very nice. She and Maya spent their lunch break together, chatting and laughing in the garden. Leda was nineteen, and she had grown up and graduated high school in Minnesota. She had come to Japan a year ago to live with her bed-ridden grandmother, and had gotten a job at Ootori manor to save money so that she could eventually return to the States and go to college.

"I'm from America too," said Maya as they ate. "I grew up in Pennsylvania." She didn't go into much detail about everything that had happened to her, just that she had dropped out of school and moved to Japan with her best friend a little less than two weeks ago. After lunch break, the two parted ways. Maya had to finish tidying Kyoya's room and Leda was being summoned to return to the kitchen.

Maya caught Leda's shoulder before she left. "Hey, next Friday Aria and I are having some of her new friends from work over for a game night. You should join us."

Leda grinned. "Yeah, that sounds fun. I'll be there."

….

Sophie stood behind Annabel, running a brush slowly through her sister's long, beautiful hair. It was so soft and shiny… She could run her fingers through it for hours.

Today, though, she was distracted by something outside the window. She watched as Kyoya's little servant girl and another maid ate lunch together, laughing and smiling at one another's comments. This made Sophie scowl. She would bet her entire family fortune that they were talking about Kyoya, all the nasty, horrible things that the whore had done with him.

True, Maya had not outwardly done anything to make her suspicious to Sophie, but she still didn't trust the little slut. She knew exactly what she was thinking, exactly how girls like her worked. The fear that Sophie had tried to instill into her had only made her more obstinate. She would act perfectly innocent but, of course, she was planning a way to snatch Kyoya right away from Annabel.

Well, Sophie wasn't going to have it.

She'd be watching the girl like a hawk, keeping tabs on her every move until she found something she could use against her. She didn't just want to get the little girl fired. Oh, no.

She wanted to destroy her.

….

Maya thanked whatever being resided above her that she didn't have to ride in a limo to Kyoya's school, but in a normal car. Of course he wouldn't have sent a limo for her, a lowly maid, but she was glad for it. Limos were for snobby aristocrats and prom-goers. Certainly not for Maya.

When they pulled up to Ouran Academy, Maya had a difficult time believing it was school. The wrought-iron gates were adorned with an "O" in fancy, swirling script. They opened slowly when the driver informed the gatekeeper that this was the assistant Mr. Ootori was expecting. The driver left Maya at a side door with directions to the third music room, where she would be meeting Kyoya.

The room wasn't hard to find, but Maya went a little slower than she normally would have, fascinated by everything around her. Every staircase was grand, every painting was huge, every column and arch was regal. This wasn't a school.

It was a palace.

When she opened the door to the third music room, she found Kyoya standing with five other boys and one girl. Even though the girl was wearing a boy's uniform, her facial features were far too feminine to fool Maya. She wasn't overly perceptive, but she wasn't an idiot.

"Ah, Maya. Good, you're here." Kyoya walked briskly over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder and steering her towards his friends. She resisted the urge to shake his hand off. "Allow me to introduce you to the rest of the host club."

This made her cock an eyebrow. "Host club?"

"Yes, my dear, a host club!" came a dramatic voice that was not Kyoya's. It was one of the taller boys of the group. He was handsome, with blonde hair and amethyst eyes, but Maya found him overbearing. He had inclined his head, holding out a rose to her, and waited expectantly for her to swoon or something.

"Uh…" Maya probably could have come up with a more intelligent response, but she was struck dumb by this obnoxious "host," as they were calling him.

"Maya, this is Tamaki, my best friend and our host club king." Kyoya gestured to each of the others as he said their names. When he got to the girl dressed as a guy he hesitated. "Now Maya, Haruhi is actually—"

"A girl, yeah." No one in the room bothered to hide their surprise, except for Kyoya and the big one named Mori.

It was the girl named Haruhi who finally spoke. "How did you know that?"

She shrugged. "You've got a feminine face."

After their introductions, Kyoya sent Maya to work putting invitations in envelopes. They appeared to be for some sort of formal dance the host club would be hosting in a few weeks. After about two hundred envelopes (and a few paper cuts and cuss words), Kyoya came over to check her progress.

"I see these are coming along nicely," he remarked offhandedly, barely looking up from his clipboard.

"Yeah, I guess."

"…Do you want to take a break?"

Her eyes hardened a little bit, but Maya knew Kyoya couldn't see them. "No."

He stood there for another few moments, his pen scratching away at his clipboard. It was starting to get on Maya's nerves. She tried her best to ignore it, but if she didn't know any better she would think that Kyoya was writing louder and louder every second just to irritate her. Her head finally snapped up, about to tell him off, but she found herself staring directly into his eyes.

It was one of the few times they weren't hidden by a glare on his glasses, and they took her breath away.

"You know," he whispered, quiet enough that no one else in the room would hear, "I was the first one to know that Haruhi was a girl when she entered this club. You made the same conclusions that I did."

And just like that, without another word, he walked away.

….

By the time Maya turned the key to her apartment door, she was dead tired. Kyoya had kept her at the host club for three hours, the first hour and a half sealing those stupid envelopes and the last hour and a half serving tea and pastries to their guests.

She'd figured out fast enough what the club did. They entertained young girls, each using some sort of "hook" that they possessed. If Maya had to pick any way to describe it, she would say stupid. It was extravagant, unnecessary, and…well yeah, stupid just about summed it up. She had to admit, though, that Kyoya managed to make it all seem graceful and have some sense of taste.

But if anyone ever tried to make her say that out loud, she'd deny it vehemently and then kill them.

At one point, when she'd been standing off to the side waiting for someone to need her, Haruhi had taken a break and meandered over to Maya's corner.

…

_"You look just like I did when I first got here," she said quietly, scanning the room._

_Maya looked over at the small girl, her arms crossed. "What do you mean?"_

_Haruhi smiled wryly, leaning against the wall. "I wasn't always a host. I only joined the club because I accidentally broke a vase of theirs that was worth eight million yen." Maya's eyes bugged and Haruhi gave a short laugh. "That's not even the worst of it. In order to pay back my debt I was made the host club's servant…Or, as they called me, their dog." _

_"I don't understand," Maya replied, eyebrows furrowing. "This is a school specifically for filthy rich kids. Couldn't you just pay back the debt?"_

_"Actually, I'm not rich. Lower middle class, to be exact. I'm an honor student at Ouran Academy on a scholarship. And trust me, I recognized the look on your face from the moment you walked in here. You think this is one of the most overdone, ridiculously excessive places on the planet. Right?"_

_Maya laughed with Haruhi now, glad she wasn't alone in this sea of rich bastards. "Yeah, that's about right. So how'd you become a host?"_

_"It was Tamaki-senpai's brilliant idea. He thought it would be better if I brought in customers than actually paid back my debt. So here I am."_

_Maya looked over at Kyoya. He didn't have any guests of his own. He just oversaw the whole operation. She had a feeling the entire club would crumble without him. "Yeah, well unlike you, I can't get promoted to host status. I was hired as Kyoya's servant, and that's all I'll ever be."_

…..

She had ended up inviting Haruhi to their game night the following Friday, which the other girl accepted. Glancing into Aria's bedroom, Maya found it vacant. A little more looking led her to a note on the kitchen counter. It was from Aria, telling Maya that she'd had a late shift at the restaurant and wouldn't be home until midnight or later. It told her not to wait up.

Maya flopped onto her bed, trying not to think about Kyoya. As much as she hated it, she thought about him a lot. Maybe it was those eyes of his. Maybe it was the way he tried to be cold and indifferent but it didn't always work with her. Maybe it was even her competitive side wanting to challenge that bitch Sophie.

She didn't know. All she knew was that the best thing for everyone would be to just forget about it.


	5. Chapter 5

I Who have Nothing

Chapter 5

"**Some say love is not for sinners. I believe that isn't true. Cause when I was finished sinning, love came down and showed me you."**

**-Hedley**

"You're late this morning, Maya." She set his breakfast tray down in front of him with more force than was necessary.

"I'm aware of that."

Kyoya looked up sharply, catching Maya's eye. He certainly wasn't in the mood for Maya's dry, sarcastic wit this morning. If one could even call it wit. More than likely she was just a dry, sarcastic person. It was beyond irritating. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to speak to me that way." He could have sworn he saw her roll her eyes just before she answered.

"Sorry. The trains were delayed."

"I see." It had never occurred to Kyoya that Maya would have to take the train. He had just assumed that she had her own car to drive to work. Looking back, it wasn't a very sound assumption. "I can provide you with a car if you require one, but it can only be used to transport you to and from work."

"No. I'll leave earlier from now on."

"Maya, I—"

"I said no, okay?" she snapped. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her voice to a normal speaking level. "I don't need a car. I've got everything under control."

_So it seems she's uncomfortable taking things that she feels she hasn't earned, _Kyoya thought. He narrowed his eyes. _Stupid, prideful girl_.

Silence descended upon them as Kyoya ate his morning meal. He stared unabashedly at her while he ate, and she stared right back. It was as though they were caught in some strange trance, captivated by something each of them saw in the other, and neither of them willing or able to break it. Maya gazed intensely into Kyoya's eyes, daring him to say something to her.

"You're very strange, do you know that?"

And just like that, the spell was broken.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Maya replied, trying to keep the bite out of her voice. It wouldn't do to get pissed off this early in the morning and ruin her whole day. Kyoya would be leaving for school in just under half an hour. She had to stand him until then.

"I only mean that…you're special somehow."

….

Kyoya mentally cursed himself as he sat in his limo on the way to school. She was special somehow? He must have sounded like the biggest idiot on the planet. What employer says something like that to their employee? She was a servant, lower than him, poor, worthless in every sense of the word…

But he couldn't get her out of his head.

He hadn't been prepared for all of this. He had expected his maid to be an old woman, someone he could just easily disregard like he did with the rest of the staff. He felt like a moron for thinking that anyone would do.

Maya was too much for him. She was infuriating, his exact opposite, but…he was drawn to her for some insane, terrible reason. Whatever being was in the heavens above was doing this to make him miserable. They had sent that fanged, spitting, _beautiful_ demon to torment him.

There was only one thing to do. He had to fire her. The only way to stop the insanity was to keep her away forever. If she didn't work for him anymore, he would have no reason to see her. He'd have to call her over later that night, since (in a fit of stupidity) he'd given her the rest of the day off. After supper he would call her and finish this madness.

Now he only hoped that he could really go through with it.

….

Maya had never been more confused in her life.

Even after hours and hours she still couldn't make sense of it. Kyoya had told her she was "special somehow" and then given her the rest of the day off.

There was only one explanation. He was her punishment for being such a horrible person. She should've finished high school, gone to college, done something with her life…but no, she had to make the pact with Aria and run away to Japan.

Oh, how she wished she could quit.

But she couldn't, not now. She was making good money and she and Aria were doing better than they had in a long time. They were actually able to support themselves and not be scrounging through the couch cushions for change when it came time to pay the rent.

For now, she just had to put Kyoya out of her head. Leda, Haruhi, and Aria's friends were arriving soon. She'd just have to deal with him at work the next day.

_Maybe by then whatever's wrong with him will have passed_, she thought desperately. _Yeah, by tomorrow he'll be back to being cold, indifferent Kyoya. I have nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry about at all…_

….

The game night was actually going quite well. Aria had received Leda and Haruhi with open arms, glad that Maya wasn't totally alone at work, and Maya really liked Aria's new friends. Kiyomi was a waitress as well, working to support her ten-month-old daughter. Anisa and Sira were sisters who worked in the kitchen, trying to save money to start a bakery.

"I've driven past the Ootori estate loads of times while going to visit my parents," said Kiyomi after they finished their third round of Boggle. "It's got to be amazing on the inside, hasn't it?"

"It's definitely one of the most wealthy estates in Japan," Leda replied, taking a sip of her soda. "The nicest place I've ever worked at. By far. What about you, Maya?"

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Absolutely." Now that Maya's mind wasn't totally occupied by the game, it had drifted back to Kyoya. Half of her wanted to just jump on the first train she could catch, barge over to Ootori manor, and demand for the stuck up bastard to explain himself. The other half of her knew she would never do that. The only thing she could do was—

_Ring…ring…ring._

Maya almost couldn't believe her eyes as she looked down at her phone. Kyoya was calling. Could it be that he wanted to give her an explanation without her even having to ask?

"Hello?"

"Maya, I need you to come over here immediately. It's very important."

"Wha—" _Click_. He had hung up. Maya felt herself begin to tremble with rage. The asshole seriously thought he could just call her, demand she come into work after hours, and then hang up without even waiting for an answer? She should just go over there and beat him senseless. Maya took a deep breath to calm herself when she noticed everyone else in the room was staring at her.

"What's wrong?" Aria asked. When Maya didn't respond, she put a hand on her friend's shoulder, looking concerned. "Maya? Is everything okay?"

It took several seconds for Maya to be able to respond. When she finally spoke, it was through clenched teeth. "I'm fine. I just have to go take care of something at work." She stood up, grabbing her coat from the hook by the door. "I'll be back later. Sorry guys." Just as she was about to leave, Leda jumped up.

"Wait! There's no need for you to take the train at this hour." She dug in her purse for something and threw a set of keys to Maya a second later. "You can borrow my car."

"No, I couldn't do that. I have no idea when I'll be back." Maya went to hand the keys back to Leda, but Aria stopped her.

"You can crash here, Leda. Then maybe the two of you could drive to work together in the morning."

"Thanks Aria," Leda replied with a smile. "Are you okay with that Maya?"

Maya was about to say no, but she thought better of it a second later. Driving Leda's car would be faster than waiting for the train, and the faster she got to the Ootori manor, the faster she could kick Kyoya's ass. "Yeah, sure. Thanks, Leda."

The drive to the manor took about twenty minutes, but Maya's anger didn't recede. She was still seething when she reached the gate, and it took all her willpower not to snap at the guard on duty. He recognized her immediately and let her pass with a nod. She parked the car in the small staff lot but didn't get out right away. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to figure out what she would say to Kyoya.

The bastard had her at a loss for words.

….

Kyoya had decided to wait for Maya on the front steps. No need to bring her into the house so late. He sat on the top step, waiting for someone to come in the gate. A car pulled in around ten o'clock, parking in the staff lot. It couldn't be anyone but Maya, but Kyoya had thought she didn't have a car.

_She must have borrowed it from a friend or something_, he thought. He quickly turned his mind to other things. There were more important matters at hand to think about. _I'm sorry, but this isn't going to work out. I'm afraid we don't require your services here at the Ootori estate anymore. That's all you have to say. Nothing more._

A car door slammed. Ah, there she was, walking through the parking lot, getting closer and closer to him with every step. He couldn't see her very well in the darkness but then, all of a sudden, Maya was lit brightly. A car, speeding along at a dangerous pace and quickly swerving out of control, had barreled down from the guest lot into the connected staff lot below.

Kyoya jumped to his feet and he saw, even from where he stood on the steps, Maya spin around at the sound of screeching tires. She couldn't get out of the way fast enough and then…

…his heart stopped.

**A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger! This chapter isn't as long as the others, but I really wanted to end it here. I feel like it would take away some of the drama of the situation if I went on. Anyway, expect a new chapter tomorrow or the next day. Shoot me a review darlings!**

**Loves,**

**ChasedByTheShadows**


	6. Chapter 6

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 6

"**All at once, everything looks different, now that I see you."**

**-Tangled**

He had wanted to stay by her hospital bed. Oh, how badly he had wanted to stay. He knew it was impossible, though. It would be terribly improper for him, a son of the Ootori family, a distinguished aristocrat, to sit teary-eyed by the bedside of a lowly servant girl. So, after she had been checked into the hospital, he put on his mask of neutrality and headed for the door.

A girl about his age intercepted him as he stepped into the corridor. She was almost hysterical, dressed only in pajamas and a bath robe, her bright blue eyes red and puffy. She ran right up to Kyoya, leaning over and panting heavily.

"Did you just come out of Maya Vester's room?"

Kyoya kept his face emotionless. Whoever this girl was, Maya was apparently very important to her. "Yes." She gasped and grabbed his hand, holding it tightly. The sudden contact startled Kyoya, and he could do nothing for a moment except stare at her "And who are you?"

The girl looked at him incredulously, as though she found it impossible to believe that he didn't know who she was. He supposed that she and Maya were very close, close enough that she would expect Maya to talk about her while she was at work. "I'm Aria." A moment of silence before the girl heaved a sigh. "Maya's best friend and roommate? You know what, never mind. That doesn't matter right now. How is she doing?"

In actuality, Maya had been very lucky. She ended up with a sprained shoulder, a lot of bumps and bruises, but overall she was okay. The most lasting damage would be a few scars on her left arm where it had scraped off the pavement. Kyoya explained this to Aria and she breathed a sigh of relief. "They've given her some painkillers and sedated her. She's asleep right now."

Aria finally let go of Kyoya's hand. She bowed gratefully to him. "Thank you for coming to the hospital with her. She hates ambulances and I'm glad she wasn't alone." Aria continued before Kyoya had a chance to tell her that Maya had been unconscious after she had been hit by the car and so hadn't known he was there. "You're Ootori Kyoya, right? Were you...were you there for the accident? How bad was it?"

…...

_Kyoya couldn't breathe. No matter how hard he tried to pull air into his lungs, he found no relief. Without even realizing he had moved, he was running as fast as he could to where Maya was laying sprawled out on the ground. The car hadn't even stopped. It had just kept speeding right along, leaving Maya's battered, bloody body in its wake. _

_He dropped to his knees by her side, taking her by the shoulders and shaking her. He was on the edge of hysteria, unable to think clearly for the first time he could remember. He stopped suddenly, remembering something. He pulled out his phone, dialing 911 with shaking fingers. How could he have been so stupid? What if he had waited too long? What if she..._

_"You have to help me!" he all but screamed at the poor woman on the other end of the line. His mind was racing, and he was barely able to keep up. "There's been an accident at Ootori manor, one of our employees has been hit by a car! Please, help!" He pulled Maya into his arms and just held her there, waiting desperately to hear the sound of sirens._

…...

From that point on, everything was a blur. Kyoya remembered climbing into the ambulance without so much as a second thought. The impropriety of it would hit him later but at that moment, all he could think about was that he might never see her again. How could he have been about to fire her? He couldn't survive without seeing that infuriating, wonderful girl every day.

It had taken almost losing her for him to realize it.

He cared about Maya. She was important to him, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Kyoya glanced up at Aria. She stood wide-eyed, waiting for his answer. "It wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been."

Aria ran a hand through her hair, looking somewhat relieved, but he could still see the fear and concern in her eyes. "As long as Maya will be all right, that's all I care about. She's my best friend...I could never lose her." Aria gave a shaky laugh then, a tear falling down her cheek. "She just has that effect on people, you know?"

Kyoya couldn't answer for a moment. He looked past Aria to see five other girls approaching them from the other end of the corridor. Haruhi was among them, as was one of the kitchen maids employed by his family.

He looked back at Aria. "...Yes, I know." Oh, how true it was. "Aria, how did you find out about the accident?"

"The hospital found me in Maya's emergency contacts. They called me and told me about it, so I rushed over here as fast as I could." The other five girls had reached them now, and they were all looking at Kyoya curiously. Aria glanced around at them, giving them a reassuring smile. "The other girls followed in a different car."

"Yes, well when Maya wakes up tell her I wish her a speedy recovery and will be contacting her soon to discuss how we will work around her injuries. If you'll excuse me, I must be going."

Just as he was about to push open the door that would lead him to the elevators, someone caught his arm. It was Haruhi. "Kyoya-senpai, wait up. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I really must be getting home, Haruhi." For some reason he couldn't explain, he was a little bit bothered by the fact that Maya and Haruhi were evidently friends. "Can this wait until school on Monday?"

"Actually, no. I'll be quick, I promise." Kyoya sighed, giving into her. He supposed he could wait a few more minutes to leave.

"Very well."

"I just wanted to say...I'm proud of you, senpai. It's not like you to want to accompany one of your employees to the hospital, even if she was injured on your property. It's...very nice of you." Kyoya gazed down at Haruhi. It was hard for her to hide her emotions in those huge eyes of hers, and just then she had that look she gets when she knows something. Kyoya didn't suppose she would tell him if he asked, but he had a sneaking suspicion what it is she knew.

But he didn't want her to know. He didn't even want to know it himself.

"I'll see you Monday, Haruhi. Please tell Aria that I will take care of Maya's medical bills."

…...

As Kyoya sat in the car on the way home and the shock finally wore off, the guilt began to set in. It was completely, indisputably his fault that this had happened to Maya. True, she wasn't badly harmed, but it needn't have happened at all. If he hadn't called her over to fire her, she would be safe and sound at home with her friends, not lying sedated in a hospital bed.

Kyoya climbed the stairs to his room wearily, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from staff members and guests in the halls. He lay back on his bed, running a hand down his face and suppressing a groan.

A butler came in a few minutes later to inform him that the driver of the car had turned out to be one of his father's business guests. He had been heavily intoxicated and had decided to take his car for a late-night joy ride. Of course there would be no punishment for the driver. He was an esteemed guest and Yoshio was "just glad that he hadn't hit someone more important." Kyoya had to bite back his anger at that comment, and he nodded curtly at the butler to dismiss him.

He couldn't be attracted to Maya. He just couldn't be. Not only was she a commoner (and a commoner of the lowest class, at any rate) and his employee, but he was to be engaged by the end of the month, and married upon his graduation. He had a bright future with Annabel, and Maya would destroy that.

But firing her wasn't an option anymore. Some powerful force had made that perfectly clear. Besides, he didn't _want_ her gone. She _should _be gone, but it would tear him apart if she left. He couldn't fire her, she wouldn't quit, and it was very likely that she would demolish his future. Somehow, though, none of that bothered him as much as it should have.

_Just admit it to yourself, Kyoya. You can't deny it anymore. _It was true. He couldn't ignore how he felt anymore. Even though he would fight with everything he had in him to never say this out loud...

He was falling for her.

Maya Vester had dominated his world from the second she stepped into it, and she was going to be the death of him. The only comfort he found in the situation was that he had a hunch that the same thing was happening to her. It was as though the world had been turned upside down.

Kyoya Ootori was falling for a commoner.

…...

Maya's eyelids felt heavy. Unnaturally heavy. After a long moment of effort, she was finally able to pry her eyes open and she blinked blearily, her surroundings slowly coming into focus. She was in a plain white room. There was a certain depressing aura that the room had...

_Ugh. _She wrinkled her nose in distaste when she realized where she was. _It's a hospital room. No wonder it's depressing._

Maya had hated hospital rooms ever since her third (and favorite) foster mom had died in one. She had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a year before and, though they had hoped, she and her foster father had known she wasn't going to survive very long. After her death, Maya was moved to another home, since her foster father was too overcome with grief to care for a child.

"Maya? You awake, honey?" It was Aria's voice. She turned her head to the left to see a pajama-clad Aria sitting in a large armchair with her knees drawn up to her chest. She looked exhausted, with her hair all a mess and deep purple bags under her eyes.

"Hey, Ar." Her voice was hoarse, and weaker than she would've liked it to be, but she supposed there was nothing she could do about it.

"Oh, Maya, I'm so glad you're awake! How are you feeling?"

Maya shifted a little bit in her bed and her sore joints screamed in protest. She winced slightly, but Aria didn't seem to notice. "Just peachy. What...what happened?" She sounded scared, something that bothered her to no end.

"Well...you tell me. What do you remember?"

"I remember going to the Ootori manor to talk to Kyoya and then...I'll admit, it's a little fuzzy."

Aria took a deep breath as though preparing herself and Maya wrinkled her brow in confusion. "You got hit by a car, sweetie. I guess it knocked you pretty good. You were unconscious when the ambulance arrived. You've been out for almost twenty-four hours. The doctor said you hit your head and you're lucky not to have gotten a concussion."

"Aria, how do you know I was knocked out when the ambulance showed up?"

"That boy you work for told me. Kyoya."

Maya raised her eyebrows, surprised. "You spoke to Kyoya?" She hadn't expected Mr. High-And-Mighty to call Aria and check up on her.

"Yeah, of course I did. He was here when I got here. He rode in the ambulance with you."

Screw surprised. Maya was downright shocked. "Kyoya was...here? At the hospital? He came _with _me?"

"Yeah. Kind of an emotionless guy, huh?" Maya let Aria keep rambling, knowing she wouldn't be able to get in a word even if she wanted to. She was too preoccupied trying to figure out Kyoya's actions anyway. Why on earth would he want to come with her? Unless he was worried...

No. That couldn't be it. He was far too self-absorbed.

But, try as she might, Maya couldn't think of a single selfish reason for Kyoya to accompany her to the hospital. It was so unlike him...She didn't know what to think.

He couldn't be attracted to her. There was no way. She'd been thinking about him nonstop for days (especially since the "you're special" comment), but there was no way he felt the same way. He was practically engaged to Annabel DeClaire, and she certainly couldn't compete with the beautiful, wealthy French girl.

Not to mention that bitch sister of Annabel's would probably rip her limb from limb if she tried.

She supposed there wasn't much point in fighting to deny it anymore, though. At least to herself. The privacy and freedom of her own mind was the only place where she could ever admit that her affections for the man she served were slowly but surely growing stronger.

She was falling for Kyoya Ootori.

…...

Sophie's hairbrush clattered against the wall and fell to the floor, missing its target. The short, plump man she had been aiming for stood cowering in front of her, trembling against his will, faced with the wrath of the livid woman.

"When I give you an order, it is to be carried out _perfectly_, do you understand me?"

"I tried, my lady—"

She grabbed a chunk of his thinning hair, cutting him off. "I am not paying you to _try_. I'm paying you to get a job done. You would do well to remember that in the future." She released his hair roughly and the man stumbled backwards. When he had regained his balance he rubbed the abused spot on his head gingerly, looking fearfully up at Sophie.

"You very well may have complicated things much more than they needed to be." Her voice was quieter now, calmer, but still dangerous and dripping with unspoken threats. "We'll have to recalculate."

"I'm very sorry, my lady."

She got up in his face, smiling sinisterly. "I don't want your apologies, you pathetic little man. Just know that if you fail me again, you'll regret it. My husband is a very powerful man, and not even your status as a close friend of the Ootori family will save you if it comes you that."

The little man gulped. "Yes, of course. I understand."

"Good. Now leave me. You are not to speak to me or associate with me in any way around the manor. I'll contact you when I have another plan ready."

When the man left, Sophie gazed at herself in the mirror, patting down her hair daintily. She picked the discarded hairbrush up off the floor and set it on her nightstand. Things had not gone according to plan.

But no matter. She'd find a way to finish what she'd started.

After all, it was all for Annabel.

**A/N: And, there it is! I'm...sort of pleased with this chapter. Realizations are happening (wink, wink) and that's exciting! Shoot me a review and tell me what you thought. Pretty please :D**

**Loves, **

**ChasedByTheShadows**


	7. Chapter 7

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 7

"**People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life."**

**-Elizabeth Gilbert**

Kyoya straightened his clothes, taking a deep breath as he stood in front of the door to his father's study. Being the third son, Yoshio seldom called Kyoya directly to his study to speak with him. When this did occur, it was even more seldom that the conversation would be pleasant. He pushed the door open carefully and stepped in front of his father's desk.

"You wanted to see me, father?"

Kyoya stood completely still and silent then, waiting for the older man to reply. Yoshio's eyes were hidden by a glare on his glasses. Even without them, though, there wasn't a person in the world who could read the look in the Ootori patriarch's eyes.

"Yes. As I'm sure you are aware, your betrothed has been staying with us for just over three weeks now."

"Yes sir, I'm aware."

Yoshio laced his fingers together, gazing at his son with a stony expression. "We will host a formal dinner in three days' time, with several of my most important clients and their families. At the end of the dinner, you will take Mademoiselle DeClaire on a walk through the gardens and propose to her there. Do you understand?"

Kyoya had to fight to keep the emotion off of his face. He had no choice but to agree. Just after he had come to terms with his feelings for Maya, he was being forced to disregard them. Maybe...no. A secret relationship with one of his maids would be just the kind of scandal that enemies of the Ootori family would jump on and use to destroy them. He couldn't do it.

"Yes. I understand completely, father."

…...

It had been a week since Maya's accident, and it would be her first day returning to work. She had to keep her arm in a sling for another week or so, but otherwise she was fine. Kyoya sat on his bed waiting for her. It was Sunday, a day off from school, so he'd be spending the whole day in her company. He couldn't quite decide if that pleased or terrified him.

He had no idea how he would feel when she walked in the room. A part of him wanted to gather her into his arms the second she arrived and never let go. He knew this was irrational, but he had never been as afraid as he was when he saw her sprawled on the ground, unconscious and bleeding.

The more rational part of Kyoya told him that he would do exactly as he always did. Put up his wall of ice and act completely neutral towards her. It was the proper thing to do, the smart thing to do...the right thing. He was going to be engaged in just three days, and married in a year and a half.

He had fallen for Maya, but it was wrong. Horribly wrong.

His breath caught as the doorknob slowly turned, and though his lungs appeared to have stopped working, his heart made up for it tenfold. It beat erratically in his chest, and he foolishly feared that the whole manor could hear it.

She came into view, and he could breathe again.

It was sudden and unexpected, but all the air came rushing back into his lungs and he let out a shaking breath. If he had to pick one word to describe the feeling overtaking him, it would be overwhelmed. Yes, that was it. He was overwhelmed by the sight of her, her presence, her cautious eyes meeting his...

The sling on her arm was a painful reminder of the guilt he had been feeling nonstop for the past week.

_If it weren't for you, her arm would be fine. She'd be fine. She wouldn't have to be taking painkillers three times a day just to function normally. You're a disaster to her._

He ignored the voice in his mind and stood up slowly, his eyes never breaking contact with Maya's. She stared right back. This was something they had taken up after only a few days together. They had no problem staring each other down, whether in anger or in simple curiosity. They had a silent agreement that neither of them would be ashamed to look the other in the eye.

Kyoya took another deep breath. "Welcome back, Maya."

…...

There it was.

For the first time since she had known him, Maya could read the look in Kyoya's eyes. He was letting emotion creep into them, however slight. She jumped a little bit when he spoke to her, breaking the thick silence that had descended upon them when she had entered the room.

"Welcome back, Maya."

It took her a moment to respond. "Thanks. I'm glad to be back, Kyoya-san."

She wanted to run over to him, throw her arms (er, _arm_) around him, and confess everything she had been feeling for the past week. She wasn't angry anymore, not in the slightest. She didn't even see the accident as being his fault. It was the driver of the car, not Kyoya, who had hit her. It was just bad timing, that was all. She wasn't angry about how he had spoken to her that night, either. It seemed that she no longer had the ability to be angry at him over such small things. Not after he had put aside his facade and gone to the hospital with her.

But she could see the guilt in Kyoya's eyes as well. She knew that he was blaming himself for what had happened to her. She wanted to comfort him, but she couldn't find the words.

"How are you feeling?" There was his voice again, calm and even as always. Even when his eyes betrayed him, his voice would always remain the same.

She gave him a half-smile. "I'm feeling much better, thank you. I...have something to discuss with you, though, before I go and get your breakfast. Aria told me that you paid my hospital bills. I...can't let you do that. I'll find a way to pay you back."

Haruhi had been beyond surprised when she had shared that little detail with their group of friends. She had shaken her head, brow wrinkled in confusion.

…...

_"He said the words to me himself, but it just doesn't sound like Kyoya-senpai at all," said Haruhi, bringing two fingers to her temple and pressing them against it. "I guarantee you'll have to pay him back. That's just how he works. It's all about making a profit for the Ootoris. They don't do anything in charity."_

_Aria sighed. "Then I guess we'll have to find a way to do that."_

…...

"Paying me back won't be necessary, Maya," said Kyoya, breaking eye contact with her for the first time. "I am responsible for your accident, so the costs rest on my shoulders. The money for the bills came out of my personal account, not my family's, so there's no need to worry that my father will be angry."

"I'm not worried about that, Kyoya-san." Maya took a step closer to him. "You need to know that it wasn't your fault. You weren't driving that car."

"True, but I called you here at a very late hour. Had I just waited until you came to work the next day, it never would have happened."

"You couldn't have known." She resisted the urge to reach for his hand, but it left her own hand twitching. She wanted to reach out to him, touch him, but she knew that she couldn't. He would be utterly disgusted if she tried to touch him. "Besides, you should know that I don't like to accept charity. Actually, giving charity at all is very out-of-character for you."

"...What makes you say that?"

"Just something that Haruhi said. That the Ootoris never do anything unless they profit from it somehow."

Kyoya was deathly silent for a very long moment. Maya was about to speak again, to try to explain herself, but suddenly he gave a short, harsh laugh. "You must think I'm some rich bastard, don't you?"

"Kyoya-san, I—"

"You're not wrong about me, Maya. I've never helped anyone simply for the sake of helping them. Charity, as you put it. The very idea of it had been presented as idiotic to me for as long as I can remember. You're right about the Ootoris."

She stepped even closer, leaving only about a foot of space between them. "You really don't need to explain yourself to me. I was being stupid. I didn't mean to—"

"Maya, calm down, you've done nothing wrong. But...I feel I _must _explain myself to you. There's a reason I wanted to pay those bills without putting you in any sort of debt. A reason other than the guilt I feel for putting you in this situation..."

…...

He couldn't believe what he was about to say. It was as though the words were coming out of their own accord, without prior authorization from him. And yet...he was doing nothing to stop them. He didn't want them to stop. As insane as he felt for it, he wanted her to know. She didn't have to know the real extent of his feelings. She just had to know that...

"I care about you, Maya."

Silence overtook them once more as she turned away, walking past him towards the window on the opposite side of the room. She gazed out it at the extravagant gardens below, placing one hand gently on the glass and breathing slowly. He counted her breaths. _In, out, in, out..._

"I care about you, too."

Her reply was whispered, almost too soft to hear, but he heard it well enough. It would have made anyone with less control than an Ootori bust out into a smile, but he retained his composure. His heart, however, had other plans. It sped up again, beating loudly against his ribcage.

He couldn't help himself. He wanted to touch her, have some kind of contact with her, so he walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. He turned her around slowly and she gazed up into his eyes, a certain nervousness in the way she bit her lip and shifted her feet that got his heart racing even faster.

Kyoya leaned down ever so slowly, getting closer, closer, closer...She began to lean up...

_Knock, knock, knock._

In half a second, they were two feet away from each other, trying to keep the blush from spreading across their cheeks. Kyoya cleared his throat and crossed to the door. He opened it, looked down over his glasses at the newcomer.

"Good morning, Annabel."

The beautiful young French girl smiled shyly and inclined her head. "Good morning, Kyoya. A breakfast is being prepared for us in the rose garden. Would you care to join me?"

"Yes, of course." He gave her his best "host" smile. "You go ahead while I give Maya her orders for the morning. I'll meet you down there in a few minutes." Annabel left with another nod and a smile, and Maya felt herself immediately relax. She had stood stock still for the entire short exchange between Annabel and Kyoya, the woman's mere presence making her uncomfortable.

"If you'll excuse me, Maya...you can tidy up around here and then I'll need you to run some errands with me after breakfast."

Kyoya's voice was different now, quieter and more even...he had regained control. She looked into his eyes and found them guarded once more. For a few precious moments, she had been able to read them. She wished those minutes had lasted longer.

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you after breakfast, then."

…...

"I see your servant girl is back," said Annabel offhandedly when Kyoya sat down across from her at the small table that had been prepared for them in the rose garden. She was just making polite conversation, Kyoya knew, but he tensed slightly at the words nonetheless.

"Yes, she's returned to work."

"Well, I certainly hope her arm heals completely soon." Annabel smiled then. Her smile was small, always a shy half-smile. Kyoya wondered what she would look like if she were to truly smile, one where her teeth could be seen and everything. Annabel continued, snapping Kyoya back to his senses. "She can't serve you very well with that sling on it, can she?"

He forced himself to laugh. "No, I suppose she can't." Annabel was not trying to be unkind, she was simply talking as she normally would. A few weeks ago, Kyoya would have actually found the comment funny himself. Now, he couldn't stand the thought of someone insulting Maya.

Annabel placed her tiny hand on top of Kyoya's. Her touch was so feather-light that he barely felt it. He looked at her, gazing into her green eyes. The longer he stared at them, the more he realized that there was nothing there to latch on to. No emotion besides a content neutrality. Annabel had not faced enough hardship in her life for there to be much more.

When he looked into Maya's eyes, however, he got lost in them. He had never expected that the color of caramel could be so deep, so bright, so...entrancing.

But it wasn't caramel that he was seeing now. It was dull, dark green. These were the eyes of his future wife, empty as they might be, and they were the eyes he would be looking into until the day he died.

They ate their breakfast in relative silence, making a few comments here and there about how splendid the food was or how the weather was lovely. Polite dribble. The maid serving their meal to them was one of the ones that had been at the hospital after Maya's accident. Leda, the American taking care of her sick grandmother. Or so he had heard.

She gave Kyoya a small smile as she collected the last of their dishes and returned to the kitchen. He was thoroughly surprised. None of the staff ever smiled at him. When he passed them in the hallways, they either averted their eyes or asked in rushed voices if there was something they could do for him. He had never paid them much mind before.

Now, though, there was this young woman, smiling at him as though he was the kindest man on the planet. It didn't make sense. Not at all.

…...

Maya sat in a limo across from Kyoya, gazing out the window. He had his laptop out on a portable table and was typing away, the light from the screen throwing a glare on the lenses of his glasses. After a few moments, Maya couldn't stand the silence anymore. She wasn't sure if she should ask him about their little...encounter earlier, but she had to say _something_.

"Kyoya-san..."

"Yes, Maya?" He didn't even look up from his laptop, and this irritated her. He had been acting so strange this morning (though, she had to admit, she hadn't really been herself either), the least he could do was look at her when they were having a conversation.

"I was just wondering..." She trailed off, glancing out the window again. The scenery sped by, sprawling yards and huge mansions flashing past so quickly that she almost couldn't catch sight of them. They were in a very wealthy neighborhood. It was a different one than Kyoya lived in, but still just as grand. After a moment of silence Maya heard Kyoya sigh and snap his laptop shut. She looked back at him to see him adjusting his glasses, giving her a momentary glimpse of his eyes.

He was fighting to hide something.

"What were you wondering, Maya?"

"Oh...uh..." Maya mentally berated herself for her oh-so-intelligent response. "Just where we're going, that's all. What errands we have to run."

She wasn't sure, but she thought that she saw a tiny bit of disappointment flash across Kyoya's face. Before she could get a lock on it, though, it was gone. "We're on our way to Tamaki's house, where we'll be meeting him and the rest of my club. He called us all there to discuss the details of the upcoming party that we will be hosting."

"So why am I going with you?"

He was quiet for a few seconds before responding. "...In case I need your assistance with anything. Besides...they like you."

"Who does?"

"The host club, of course." He said it with surprise in his voice, as though it should have been the most obvious thing in the world. "I was under the impression that you and Haruhi were becoming friends."

"We are," said Maya, shifting a little bit in her seat. "But Haruhi is a lot more like me than anyone else in your club. I just figured the rest of them would see me like you do."

"And...how is that?" She was surprised to hear him hesitate. Kyoya never hesitated.

"Well, I'm different than you. I wasn't born with a silver spoon. I don't have the good fortune that all of you do. I'm...oh, what do you call it? A commoner..."

…...

Kyoya actually had to resist the urge to cringe when she told him her idea of what he thought of her. It was painful to listen to.

_Can't you see how wonderful I think you are?_

No, he supposed she couldn't. It wasn't as though he was going out of his way to show her. In fact, it was just the opposite. He was forced to hide his feelings from her, so of course she would have no idea.

"I guess common is a fitting word for me," said Maya with a wry smile. A second later she jumped a little bit in surprise, probably realizing that she had actually said what was meant to stay in her head.

Kyoya looked at her, remaining silent. Common was most certainly not a fitting word for her. Maya wasn't beautiful like Annabel or even like some of the most beautiful girls he saw every day at school. She was beautiful in her own way. One could argue that her friend Aria was much more attractive, but Maya had those deep, expressive eyes, soft-looking skin and slight curves. They were there, but they weren't too much, and he preferred it that way.

She wasn't just pretty, though. Maya wasn't like other girls. She was smart and sarcastic, with such a dry sense of humor that you had to be a special kind of person to appreciate it. She was interesting to talk to (when he let his guard down and allowed himself to converse with her, that is), and she was tough. She didn't need to lean on anyone. Maya could stand on her own two feet and stay strong.

He remembered when she used to irritate him, when she had first arrived just a few weeks prior. She had done nothing in particular to anger him, but he supposed he knew now where it had come from. Perhaps his subconscious had known, even then, that he was incredibly attracted to this raggedy girl from America. Of course he, being Kyoya Ootori, had naturally tried to fight her off.

Anyone would try to fight off a powerful force that would be their demise.

"You're not common, Maya," he said finally. She turned sharply to look at him, confused. He had taken so long to respond that she had turned back to the window, her mind most likely wandering to other things. "You're not common at all."

"So...how would you describe me then?" She spoke forcefully, but it wasn't directed at him. More like she was forcing the words out of her mouth before she could talk herself out of saying them.

Kyoya didn't want to answer her question.

Kyoya _did_ want to answer her question.

This turmoil was unbearable. Every minute that passed with her, the way he felt about her grew stronger. Things like this weren't supposed to happen to an Ootori. He was supposed to be steadfast, obedient, completely in control of his emotions. He wasn't supposed to battle with two sides of his mind as one clung to the family obligations that had been beaten into his head for as long as he could remember, and the other fell hard and fast for the servant girl.

He was to be married in just under eighteen months. The smart thing to do would be to fire Maya and deal with the beating his heart would have to take. Kyoya always did the smart thing. The profitable thing. But this time...he didn't want to.

_What you _want_ doesn't matter, Kyoya_, his father would say.

Kyoya's eyes hardened and he looked over at Maya. There she was, looking at him with those eyes, waiting anxiously for his response. He swore he could almost hear the heightened beating of her heart. Just the sight of her sent his own heart into flutters. Nothing had ever done that before, so she had to be something special.

Damn doing the smart thing. For once, he was going to go after what he wanted. If she would have him, he would be with her.

_You'll still have to marry Annabel in the end, unless you want to be disowned. You'll have to leave Maya eventually, and you'll break her heart._

_For the first time in my life I'm going to live in the moment, _Kyoya snapped back at the voice in his head. _I'll deal with the future when the future comes. _

He almost laughed at his own thoughts. If anyone he knew could see into his mind right then, they'd probably suffer a heart attack and drop dead. Living in the moment and disregarding the future was _not _something that Kyoya Ootori would do. Not in a million years.

But damn all that. He was going to do it.

"I think you're beautiful, Maya."

…...

Maya said nothing as she followed Kyoya to Tamaki's front door. After his...comment, the rest of the ride to the Suoh estate had been silent. She hadn't responded, and he hadn't elaborated. But Maya had noticed that he seemed rather pleased with himself after the words came out.

Damn rich _bastard_.

He couldn't play with her emotions like this. The second they left to return to Kyoya's house, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. He probably knew that she had feelings for him... Or worse, maybe Sophie DeBitch had told him that Maya wanted to sleep with him for money, and he was acting on that to see how far he could get...or to find a reason to fire her.

Fucking bastard. She couldn't reiterate that last part enough.

The host club was waiting for them—or waiting for Kyoya, rather—in a sitting room just off of the foyer of Tamaki's house. She caught Haruhi's eye and the small girl gave her a smile and a wave. She seemed to notice Maya's surly expression and gave her a meaningful look that meant they would talk later.

Tamaki jumped up once Kyoya was seated, Maya standing stony-faced behind him. "All right, I see everyone's here!" he said enthusiastically, snapping the rest of the club members out of their relatively lethargic states. "I promise this will be a short meeting, but I just wanted to make sure that everyone is aware of the times they will need to report to get into costume and what their duties will be throughout the night."

Maya found the meeting rather dull, the club members just discussing report times, who would be dancing with who, and the like. She really had no idea why she was there, but was beginning to suspect Kyoya had just dragged her along to annoy her. She had to resist the childish urge to start flicking the back of his head a few times. She knew it was incredibly stupid, but it would be a wonderful and entertaining outlet for her frustration.

"Maya," said Tamaki suddenly, catching her attention.

"Yes?"

"Will you be joining us at the party?"

Maya wrinkled her brow. "Doing what? Don't you guys have people at your school already to serve food and stuff?"

Tamaki looked perplexed for a minute, but then let out a loud laugh. "No, silly! I meant as a guest! You spend so much time around Kyoya, I figured you two must be friends by now, so I thought you might want to come."

"Tamaki, I believe we said the party would be limited to club members and guests," Kyoya cut in. His voice was tight and uncomfortable. Tamaki pouted a little bit, but said nothing on the subject. Maya almost laughed. Of course Kyoya wouldn't want her to come to the party. He'd be forced to talk to her as something other than his maid, and he couldn't risk being seen associating with her in public.

They got up to leave after another fifteen minutes. Haruhi caught Maya's arm before she left the room and told her that she'd call the following day. Maya and Kyoya began walking down the path to the guest parking lot, where the limo would be waiting for them, but as they passed a small garden Kyoya grabbed her by the shoulder and steered her into it.

"Uh...what are you doing?"

"Forgive me, Maya, but I feel I must explain myself. I didn't say that you shouldn't come to the party because I don't _want _you there. It's quite the opposite, actually."

"You don't have to lie to me, Kyoya-san. It's not like it matters one way or another. I'm your employee, that's all. Seriously, you don't need to worry about my feelings. I'm tough."

He smiled down at her, a more genuine smile than she had ever seen grace his features. It was a rather handsome look for him. "I know you are. One of the many things I admire about you." He...admired her? That was strange. "You see, Maya, I don't want you to come because it could cause you unnecessary trouble. It would look suspicious if you attended an event that I am hosting since, as you said, you are my employee."

"Suspicious? What do you mean? What's suspicious about it?"

Kyoya took a deep breath as though preparing himself for something. He looked at her, gazing directly into her eyes, and they had another one of those moments where neither of them could (or wanted to) look away. He didn't move for a long moment, but then suddenly, in one swift motion, he had a hand on her waist and drew her closer to him.

Her eyes widened, still locked on his. "What are you..."

She was cut off by something pressed softly against her lips. It took a moment for her to register what was happening but then, almost without her realizing it, her eyes slowly slid closed. Kyoya's lips, which had been gentle thus far, pressed harder against hers, and she subconsciously stepped closer to him. Her good arm crept up to hook around his neck and he tilted his head, deepening the kiss.

It was a long time before they broke apart for air, but they were both panting heavily when they did. Maya's hand left Kyoya's neck, her fingertips coming softly to her lips. Kyoya had kissed her. Of all the things he could have done, he _kissed _her.

And she had kissed him back.

_Does he...does he feel the same way about me as I feel about him? Is that even possible?_

"That's why it would be suspicious."

"Kyoya-san..." Her voice was no more than a whisper, a tiny breath escaping her lips that she managed to form into some sort of words. His name...

His reply was equally soft. "Just Kyoya, please."

"Why did you do that...Kyoya?"

He leaned his forehead against hers and she made no move to push him away. Her body was still pressed flush up against his, and he was pleasantly warm. "I've been wanting to do that for a while now. Maya."

She looked away then, breaking eye contact. "Don't. You...I...we can't. You're engaged. Or...engaged to be engaged, or something. This...whatever this is...it can't work."

"I don't love Annabel, Maya."

"But you have to marry her."

"Yes, I do."

She should have walked away right then, when he affirmed her statement. Some sort of red flag should have gone off in her head, telling her that the best thing to do would be to leave. Instead, though, she stayed right where she was.

"You don't love her." She didn't know if that was a question or a statement.

"No."

"...Do you love me?"

Kyoya smiled, taking her chin gently in his hand and turning her face back to look at him. "That's what I'm trying to figure out, Maya."

"Kyoya-san—"

"Kyoya."

"...Kyoya..."

"Kiss me again, Maya."

So she did. She kissed him without having any control over her movements. Her mind was completely blank but her heart...it was in overdrive. She kissed him until he took her hand and led her back to the path. He only let go when the car came into sight. They sat in comfortable silence on the way home, and she sat beside him this time. After the window connecting them to the driver was closed, he took her hand once more. She thought about their kiss. No kiss had excited her like that in a very, very long time.

And, try as she may, she could bring herself to feel no regret.

**A/N: Whew! That's finally done! Quite the romantic chapter, eh? I rather enjoyed writing it, actually :D No Sophie in this one, but don't worry, she'll be back soon, as will the rest of our favorite bad guys. If you guys could take a second and shoot me a review, that would be awesome. I love reading them, and your comments are encouraging. Hope you enjoyed, lovelies, cause this is a long one!**

**Loves,**

**ChasedByTheShadows**


	8. Chapter 8

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 8

"**I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."**

**-Roy Croft**

Maya went to work the next morning with one purpose in mind—to have a rational, adult conversation with Kyoya. There would be no gazing into each other's eyes, no loaded silences, and certainly no kissing.

That shouldn't be too hard, right?

Maya was a very determined girl, and she was filled with every bit of that determination when she pushed open the door to Kyoya's bedroom. They were going to talk about what had transpired between them the previous evening, and that was all. She was going to stay in complete control.

As soon as they caught sight of each other and locked eyes, the reaction was immediate.

Before Maya knew what had happened, Kyoya's arms were around her waist, her good hand was fisted in his hair, and their lips were pressed fiercely together, tongues battling for dominance. All coherent thought flew from Maya's head, and all she could concentrate on was the way his fingertips pressed firmly against her hips and how warm his lips were against hers. The kiss wasn't particularly gentle, but then again, there was nothing gentle about the real Kyoya Ootori.

When they broke apart, panting and flushed, it took a solid minute before Maya's brain could function properly again. Kyoya made a move to step closer to her but she placed a firm hand on his chest, holding him back. He gazed down at her in confusion—and, she could have sworn, slight annoyance—but put his hands down at his sides and waited for her to speak.

"Kyoya..." She was still breathless, and she hadn't removed her hand from his chest. "We can't do this. This is...this is _so _not right."

His dark eyes flashed and the intensity burning in them should have frightened her, but they only made him more enticing. She wanted to feel his lips again, relish in the taste of him.

"Maya," he began in a low, dangerous voice, "I'm not worried about what _is _right at the moment. I'm worried about what _feels_ right."

Maya forced herself to look away and took a step back. Kyoya only closed the distance with a step of his own, but she ignored him. What he was saying...it didn't make sense, and she wasn't going to let herself get sucked into something that would ultimately come back to bite her in the ass.

"You're talking nonsense," she replied, gripping the upper part of her injured arm with her good hand. "You're an Ootori. The Ootori family doesn't care about feeling over what's practical and profitable. You marrying Annabel is both of those things. Regardless of how you feel about me, you said it yourself last night...you have to marry her."

Kyoya placed his hand on her cheek, still firm in his resolve to go after what he wanted. It was a completely new concept to him, but he wasn't one to back down so easily. "Let me ask you something, Maya. Do you regret kissing me? Any of the times?"

Maya couldn't help but be truthful. "...No."

"So I don't see why you're fighting this—"

"Kyoya," she interrupted. "I'm going to ask you a question, and I need an honest answer."

"I don't see a problem with that."

Maya looked up at him once more, even though she knew it wasn't a good idea. His eyes were far too entrancing, she couldn't resist him when he captured her with his gaze. She hated him for it. "Do you intend to marry Annabel, regardless of what happens between you and me?"

She knew what to do if he said no. She had a plan. If he told her that he was going to call off his engagement to Annabel to be with her, she'd quit on the spot. Aria would get her a job at the diner, and Kyoya would go through with his marriage. They'd never see each other again, never know what might have been, but it would be worth it. She wasn't going to let him throw his life away over her.

If he said yes, however, she had no idea what she would do. That would mean that he wanted to be with her in secret and still eventually get married to another woman. The smart thing to do would be to deny his advances, make it clear that she didn't want to have an affair with him...but Maya wasn't exactly known for making intelligent decisions. Besides, she wasn't sure she could resist him.

Kyoya considered her for a moment. He already knew what his answer would be, but he was trying to gauge how she would respond. He had a fairly good idea, but one could never be certain with Maya Vester.

Finally, he replied. "Yes, I intend to marry Annabel."

Maya couldn't help the bitter laugh that slipped out. "So what you're saying is—"

Kyoya grabbed her around the waist, sufficiently cutting her off, and pulling her forward so that her body was pressed up against his once more. "What I'm saying is that when I look at you I see everything I've ever wanted."

_More sweet words from another guy who's going to break my heart, _Maya's head was screaming. She bit her lip to keep back a wry smile. _At least this one has the decency to inform me in advance that he'll be kicking me to the curb._

Another part of her, however, was singing an entirely different tune. _This wouldn't be so bad... Even you deserve to be happy for a little while. Give him a chance..._

He caught her eye and her brain immediately gave way to her heart. It wasn't even a cognitive decision to hoist herself up on her tiptoes and seek his lips with hers, just as it wasn't a cognitive decision on his part to lean down and meet her. It happened naturally, just like taking a breath.

_Great, now I'm comparing him to oxygen._

Maya crossed the room slowly when she was free once again and leaned on his desk. He watched her carefully, trying to read the expression she was trying so hard to keep masked. "Maya, please...Will you stay?"

_Don't do it, Maya! You can't have an affair with your engaged, filthy rich boss, _her mind said_. That screams wrong on about ten different levels. _

_Just give into it, Maya, _her heart argued. _You can't keep denying how you feel about him or you'll go crazy. Annabel and her crazy sister never have to know. You owe a few months of happiness to yourself. _

In the end, the greater of the two parts of her won.

"Yes, I will stay."

…...

When Kyoya left for school, Maya gathered up his breakfast tray and took it down to the kitchen. Leda took it with a smile and they talked for a while. Leda had been concerned that Maya wouldn't come back to work at the Ootori manor, and she'd been afraid she'd be all alone amongst all the old ladies and irritable butlers.

After a few minutes, both girls had to return to work, but Maya gave her friend a hug and assured her that she'd be sticking around for a while. As she was climbing the stairs back to Kyoya's room to clean it up, she nearly ran into someone rounding a corner.

"Oh!" Her face flushed when she saw who it was. "I'm so sorry, Mademoiselle DeClaire. Are you all right?"

Annabel cleared her throat softly and patted down her lacy white and yellow sundress. It hadn't really been ruffled, as Maya had no more than brushed her shoulder, but she seemed to feel the need to fix it nonetheless. "I'm fine, thank you. Good day." She made to walk away but Maya, after a moment's consideration, called after her.

"Mademoiselle DeClaire?"

She turned around, her expression curious but guarded. "Yes?"

"I...I really am sorry." Annabel furrowed her eyebrows, so Maya amended what she had said. "You know...for almost running into you."

A short moment passed in silence, and Maya began to fear that Annabel wasn't going to respond, but then the young French woman granted her a small, shy smile. "It's quite all right. Thank you for your apology." Annabel turned and proceeded to wherever she had been going. Maya watched her, wondering where her sense of guilt was. When she had agreed to Kyoya's disastrous idea, she had expected to feel some sort of shame if she was ever required to speak to Annabel...and yet, she felt none. Nothing at all.

Maya continued on her way up to Kyoya's room, shaking her head slightly to clear it, but she was stopped on the stairs by another person—deliberately this time—and looked up to see a pair of smoldering eyes glaring at her.

"Hello, Sophie," said Maya, narrowing her eyes and allowing a small, cocky grin to cross her face. She didn't even bother addressing Sophie by her proper title. The bitch didn't deserve it anyway. "Anything I can help you with this morning, Madame?"

"I saw you talking to my sister," Sophie spat, clenching her fists. She wasn't even bothering to put on a sugar-coated facade. Apparently she didn't think anyone would come around that way and find them. The notion made Maya slightly nervous, but she did her best to ignore it. She noticed a little vein throbbing in Sophie's temple. The bitch must have been exceptionally angry.

"Yeah, so? Is that a crime?" asked Maya, trying unsuccessfully to push past Sophie. She was blocked by a thin arm pushing her roughly back. Sophie wasn't particularly strong, but she surprised Maya enough to send her stumbling a step or two backwards.

Sophie stepped right up to Maya's face, her eyes burning with rage and sparkling in a way that made her look almost crazed. "You listen to me now, slut. Stay _away_ from my sister. You don't bother her and you don't _touch_ her future husband. Do I make myself clear?"

Maya had to fight back an ironic smile for the second time that day as she stared Sophie down. She let her anger and hate fill her eyes as she looked at the disgusting woman. No use hiding the obvious. "Crystal clear, Madame."

Sophie pushed roughly past Maya, sending her stumbling once more and nearly causing her bad arm to hit the wall. Maya glared after her, watching her bounce daintily along until she was out of sight.

"You'll get what's coming to you, bitch."

**A/N: It's not a very long chapter, but it has some important stuff in it. Also, it's late and I really wanted to get this out. Read and PLEASE shoot me a review guys! They really encourage me! Thanks, lovelies. I hope you enjoyed this and I'll see you all next chapter (probably tomorrow). **

**Loves, **

**ChasedByTheShadows**


	9. Chapter 9

I Who Have Nothing

Chapter 9

"**The love that lasts the longest is the love that can never be."**

**-S. Maugh**

-Flashback-

_"Where the hell do you think you're going, Aria? You think you can just run away from me?"_

_Maya heard the yells before she even opened the door to their apartment. Caleb, Aria's psychopathic ex-boyfriend, was back, and it sounded like he was having one of his episodes again. Maya had told Aria time and again to report the dirt bag to the __police__, but her friend had never listened. She insisted he was just troubled. Maya thought was a violent, raving lunatic. Frantically, Maya put her key into the lock and flung the door open. The shouting was coming from Aria's room, and she ran there as quickly as her shaking legs would take her. She'd never admit it, but she was fairly frightened of Caleb._

_"Answer my question, bitch!" he was bellowing, his tone quickly approaching hysteria. "You think you can just run away from me?"_

_Running quickly into her own room, Maya dug between her two __mattresses__ for the knife that she kept there, just for such occasions. She heard Aria yelp in pain and fall to the ground, and suddenly she moved with even more urgency._

_When she kicked open the door to Aria's room, Caleb was standing over her, clenching a fistful of her hair and continuing to shout threats that Maya knew he would have no problem carrying out. _

_They'd been in this situation before, so Maya was able to anticipate Caleb's next move. He whirled around and caught sight of Maya's weapon, proceeding to __back up__ quickly and drag Aria with him. She let out a small scream of pain but was otherwise quiet. Her eyes were wide with fear and her bottom lip was trembling with the tears she was fighting to hold back._

_"Let go of her and get out of here, Caleb!" Maya shouted. "Now!" _

_Caleb let out a feral growl and released Aria roughly. She fell to the ground with a terrified yelp, and scrambled on her hands and knees away from the enraged man. Maya held the knife firmly aloft, forming her face into a snarl and standing her ground. If she was completely steadfast and immobile, Caleb wouldn't be able to do anything to her._

_"Don't interfere with me and my girlfriend, Maya! This shit is none of your business!"_

_"She's not your girlfriend anymore, Caleb! Get over it and leave us alone!" _

_That was Caleb's least favorite thing to hear, and Maya knew it. He lunged at her but she was prepared for him. She sliced down his arm, leaving a good-sized gash that began to immediately drip blood onto Aria's light brown carpet. He let out another growl, throwing a hand over the injured flesh._

_"You bitches think you're so clever and special." He sneered. "But you'll get what's coming to you, just like all the good-for-nothing whores do." _

_Without another word, he darted past Maya and out of the apartment, leaving a glistening trail of blood behind him.  
_  
-End Flashback-

Maya woke with a start, breathing heavily. That was the first nightmare she'd had about Caleb since they'd moved to Japan, but it was as vivid as any of the others had been. When her breaths quieted, she listened for the reassuring sound of Aria tossing and turning in the next room.

At some point in the dream, about the time when Caleb was telling her she'd get what was coming to her, he'd morphed into Sophie, taunting her.

Maya glanced over at her alarm clock. It was only four in the morning, not nearly time to leave for work, but she knew she'd have trouble getting back to sleep even if she wanted to try. After a few minutes in which she tried to calm her racing mind, Maya threw the quilts off of her body and rose to her feet. She supposed she could cook some breakfast with the extra time and leave some for Aria when she went to work. The past week or so, her friend had been subsisting on a mixture of dry toast and a small handful of blueberries.

They didn't have much in the way of ingredients, but Maya found enough to make a relatively large bowl of scrambled eggs, a package of bacon stowed in the very back of the freezer, and some coffee with milk and sugar. The smells eventually roused Aria and she shuffled into the kitchen in her pajamas and slippers, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"What're you doing up so early, Maya?" she asked, stifling a yawn. "It's like...five in the morning."  
"I just couldn't sleep," Maya replied, trying to avoid looking Aria in the eye. If she did, her best friend would know something was up.

Apparently she figured it out anyway. "Tell me what's going on." it certainly wasn't a question. Aria definitely knew.

Maya sighed, knowing she couldn't hide anything from Aria. That was the way it was between them. They knew everything there was to know about each other, and they didn't keep secrets. Of course, Maya was withholding the information that she was practically already having an affair with her boss, but she had rationalized with herself that it was better if Aria didn't get involved in that particular situation.

The nightmare, however, was one that Maya had had many a time, and they'd had countless conversations about it. "I had the dream where Caleb came back for you again," she admitted, staring into her coffee mug and refusing to meet Aria's gaze.

Aria sighed in reply. "Maya, we don't have to worry about Caleb anymore. We're halfway around the world now. He'll never find us, and even if he did, I'd never give in to him. You know that."

_But you've given in to him before_, Maya thought, still keeping her eyes firmly trained on the mug of black liquid in her hands. She'd never say that out loud, but it had crossed her mind more times than she'd like to admit. Aria's relationship with Caleb had always been complicated. In the beginning they were very much in love—and Caleb, in some twisted way, still was—but they were both very confrontational and aggressive, and it had led to a lot of fights between them.

Eventually, and in Maya's opinion inevitably, Caleb began to lash out at Aria physically. At first she told no one, not even Maya, but anyone with a working pair of eyes could see the unexplained marks that were beginning to appear on her body.

Despite all of that, though, when Caleb was in his right mind, he was actually very intelligent. He always knew just what sweet words to say to lure Aria back into his web, and she'd been submissive almost every time. It hadn't been until just a few weeks before they decided to move that Aria had taken a firm stance against him. After the night that Maya had dreamed about, they'd made the decision to leave once and for all.

It was the _way_ he had threatened them that made up their minds in the end. Normally, when Caleb was in one of his rages and he delivered a threat, it was a flurry of screamed, expletive-ridden half-sentences. That night, however, it had been calm, concise, and very, very sincere. They didn't want to stick around to see it carried out.

The rest of their breakfast passed in relative silence, and eventually Maya had to go and get ready for work. She found that she was actually rather anxious to see Kyoya (which in and of itself was a terrifying notion, for several reasons). She would be able to remove her sling in two days, and then she could finally know what it was like to thread all of her fingers into his hair while she kissed him. The very thought of it turned her stomach to a mass of knots.

The damn rich bastard had way too much power over her. That was for sure.

The more she thought about it, though (and this was perhaps the most horrifying thought of all), the less it bothered her. At least she had power over him as well.

…...

Kyoya wasn't nervous for Maya to arrive. No, that wasn't to word to describe it. Perhaps...ah, yes...eager. He was eager for her to walk through the door, to see those uncannily expressive eyes gazing up at him, to taste her lips...

He'd never wanted a woman to have this much power over him. He'd always been in complete control of himself, and "handing the reins," so to speak, over to someone else was a bit unnerving. Not unpleasant, per se, just...different.

She arrived at a half past seven, just as she did every day, and he immediately noticed the deep purple bruises under her otherwise beautiful eyes. She looked exhausted, and perhaps even that was too mild a word.

"Maya," he said, pushing up his glasses with two fingers, "you look awful. How much sleep did you get last night?"

She laughed a little bit at his comment and shrugged. "Well, I went to bed at midnight and tossed and turned till one, then I woke up at four so...three hours?"

Kyoya kept his face emotionless but somehow Maya knew he was hiding a smile. "In the future, try to sleep more. You won't be nearly as miserable."

_Idiot, _he thought to himself. _Why couldn't you just say 'I hate to see you so miserable?' That's what you meant, wasn't it?_

Of course he couldn't say that, though. It would be absurd. He cleared his throat and changed the subject. "Could you please set down the breakfast tray on my desk and then come over here? There's some business we have yet to attend to."

Now she was the one hiding the smile. Setting the tray of food gently on the wooden surface of the desk, Maya turned and walked slowly towards Kyoya. He gazed at the sling as she approached. It still made him feel a little twinge of guilt every time he looked at it, but he didn't feel nearly as bad as he had those first few days.

When she reached him, he took a moment to tuck a stray lock of her wild dark hair behind her ear before cupping her face and kissing her as gently as he could manage. It was difficult not to pour all of his desire for her into the kiss, but he had to control himself. There was a time and place for such urges, and it certainly was not just then. They could be caught at any moment. If they were going to progress further into whatever was happening between them, they'd have to devise a plan to successfully keep their secret.

For now, though, he could handle kissing her a few times a day when no one was looking.

"So," said Maya a few moments later while she was pouring his coffee, "do you need me for anything in particular after you're done with school?"

"Actually, yes," Kyoya replied. "Let me specify now that the task I am asking you to do is completely optional, but if you choose to do it, you will be paid twice your regular salary per hour."

Maya's eyes widened. "You're paying me double? I'll do it, whatever it is! There's no 'optional' about it!"

"I thought you might say that," Kyoya said with a grin, "but you may want to consider listening to the task before you say yes. This might just be something that even you would refuse to do."

Maya's brow furrowed. She seriously doubted that anything Kyoya could ask her to do wouldn't be worth double pay. "Okay. Shoot. What is it?"

"Well, since the gala is coming up very soon, Tamaki and I will be spending the afternoon teaching Haruhi how to properly ballroom dance. Mori will be with Honey, of course, but...I need someone to occupy the twins."

Maya had met the twins a few times. She knew they were mischievous, but she didn't see any reason that babysitting them wouldn't be worth twice her regular salary. "I think you're being a little dramatic about this. Besides, why do they need to be babysat? They're sixteen years old."

A knowing smirk crossed Kyoya's face and the glare on his glasses hid his eyes. Maya didn't like it, but she kept quiet. She was sure he'd explain himself. "I don't need them babysat as much as I need them out of the way. It'll be your job to make sure they stay off of school grounds for the entire afternoon, so they don't interfere with Haruhi's training."

"How much damage could they do, really?" Maya was slightly irritated that Kyoya was being to vague, but she had to admit that he had piqued her curiosity.

His smirk widened. "You'll find out soon enough."

**(A/N: So I was looking back at my stories, and I realized that I hadn't updated this since July! I completely thought I had uploaded this chapter like three weeks ago. I guess not, though. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please review!)**

**Loves, **

**ChasedByTheShadows**


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